Fly Fishing the Yellowstone River

The Yellowstone is the longest undammed river in the lower 48, running free out of Yellowstone National Park through Paradise Valley past Livingston and on across Montana. This stretch is a classic big freestone, fishing best after spring runoff clears, with wild Yellowstone cutthroat, rainbows, browns, and cutbows holding in its riffles, runs, and seams. Anglers float and wade through dramatic mountain scenery beneath the Absaroka Range. It is known for its early-summer salmonfly and golden stone hatches, prolific summer caddis and Pale Morning Duns, and an excellent fall Baetis and streamer season for big browns.

30 shops nearby

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When to fish

Mid-July–October

Best months: July–October

Best
Off-peak

Mother's Day Caddis: late Apr–May, pre-runoff. Salmonfly: late Jun–Jul, post-runoff.

Today's conditions

Where to fish

Along the Yellowstone River

Bozeman4 shopsEmigrant1 shop

Big Sky Canyon Village4 shopsLivingston7 shops

Paradise Valley between Gardiner and Livingston offers many FWP access sites; the river is largely a drift-boat float through the canyon and valley.

The water

Freestone

Key hatches

Midge
Blue-Winged Olive
Western March Brown
Golden Stonefly
Pale Morning Dun

Hatch calendar

Conditions

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6-day forecast

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Forecast from the National Weather Service ↗

Hatch calendar

Months each hatch is active on the Yellowstone River, with hook sizes and local timing notes.
Hatch · hook	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	S	O	N	D
Midge(midges)hook #16–24	January	February	March	April	May			September	October	November	December
Blue-winged Olive(mayflies)hook #16–20			March	April
Western March Brown(mayflies)hook #12–14				April	May
Golden Stonefly(stoneflies)hook #4–8Jul						June	July
Pale Morning Dun(mayflies)hook #14–20Jul–Aug						June	July
Salmonfly(stoneflies)hook #2–6late Jun–Jul, post-runoff						June	July
Western Green Drake(mayflies)hook #10–12						June	July
Yellow Sally(stoneflies)hook #14–16						June	July